By Police1 Staff
Why did you become a cop? It’s a question we recently posed to our Facebook fans.
Replies ranged from the tongue-in-cheek to the moving, and many of the answers can hopefully help serve as a reminder of why you chose to follow the path of being a police officer.
Check out some of the highlights below — and be sure to add your thoughts to the member comments area.
Q: What made you want to become a police officer?
A: The adrenaline
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“I love to be of service to the public and I do like the adrenaline rush!” – Chad Calhoun
“The hunt.” – Amy Lee-Barthold
“Just something I’ve wanted to do. There’s that adrenaline rush we all get when in a high speed pursuit. The satisfaction of catching the “bad” guy. And I hate to admit it, but the show ‘COPS.’” – Tim Arnold
“Arresting scumbags.” – Dan McDonald
A: The greater good
“I lost a family member in the OKC bombing. I wanted to do my part to make sure that never happens to anyone ever again.” – Cody Koelsch
“Helping people and being willing to put yourself in harm’s way to make a difference is something worth doing.” – Matthew Schofield
“I want to help families have some type of closure.” – Christina Shaneyfelt
A: Protecting others
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“I wanted to stand up for people who couldn’t stand up for themselves.” – Chad Hayse
“Those who can protect the weak have the duty and obligation to do so! Those were some of the last words from my grandfather before he passed away.” – Robert Jessen
“I hate bullies that prey upon the weak mentaly and or physically. I wanted to defend them, and protect our way of life.” – Dana Sachs Manley
A: Transferrable skills
“I knew I stayed relatively calm in a tough situation.” – Laurie Hicks
“Patrolling N.O. after hurricane Katrina for the National Guard.” – Lane Worthington
“It’s the only job an old Army MP could find.” – Kerry Denison
A: Living a dream
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“Always wanted to be one, and to quote my transition instructor, ‘After doing something for 20 years that you may or may not have liked, do something that you love regardless of the pay!’ That pretty much sums it up.” – Terry Farley
“Since I was a little girl I’ve always wanted to be an officer.” – Diane Vasquez
“I have always felt that it was my place in life.” – John Tallman
A: Following — or breaking — a tradition
“My uncle. The first time he pulled into the yard in his patrol did it.” – Larry Doby Sanford
“Following in my brother’s footsteps.” – Walter E. Webster Sr.
“My grandfather was a state trooper for 31 years then a deputy sheriff for 10 years. I was lucky enough to get his badge number when I became a state trooper!” – Kris Hunzeker
“My father’s father was a police officer who beat and molested him. My father was a three-time felon whose life was completely turned around by a detective. Someone who had a hatred for law enforcement got a new perspective from a man in uniform.” – Sean Golden
A: ???
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“We are overworked, underpaid, and most of our employers could give 2 sh*ts about us. Yet we don that uniform on a daily basis and do a job that none of them would do for peanuts. I think we all need mental health evals completed.” – Brad Boggs
“Still trying to figure that out after 25+ years on the job!” – John Prink
